Skate-blade sharpener



Nov. 7, 1961 A. .11. ESOPl 3,007,287

SKATE-BLADE SHARPENER Filed Sept. 8, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORQ A400 J. ESOP/ BY MQMQPM nite Star 3,007,287 SKATE-BLADE SHARPENER Aldo J. Esopi, 56 Chamberlain St., RD. 2, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Filed Sept. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 838,775 3 Claims. (Cl. 51102) This invention relates generally to apparatus for sharpening skate blades, and is especially concerned with grinding apparatus of this nature.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a skate-blade sharpening device which is extremely accurate in accomplishing its intended function so that skate blades are sharpened precisely as required.

-It is another object of the present invention to provide a skate-blade sharpening device of the type described which is highly versatile for sharpening blades of widely varying thicknesses without sacrificing accuracy of the sharpened blade.

The invention contemplates a further advantage in providing for the sharpening of arcuate or curved blades, as now frequently employed in figure skates in contradistinction to the blades of hockey and racing skates, all while maintaining the high degree of precision and accuracy.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the nature set forth including means for simply effecting realignment of the device, should the same be necessary, say after disassembly or dressing of the grinding wheel.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide apparatus having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs which is extremely simple in construction and operation, durable and entirely reliable in use, and which is economical to manufacture and maintain.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a skate-blade sharpener constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along-the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIGURE 3, with the skate blade removed;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational View taken substantially along the line 77 of FIGURE 3, with the skate blade removed;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary elevational view taken substantially along the line 88 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 9 is a partial elevational view similar to FIG- URE 4, but showing the alignment means in operative condition;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of the structure of FIGURE 9, but showing the blade-guide means in operative relation with the alignment means; and

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 1111 of FIGURE 9.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1-4 thereof, the apparatus shown therein includes an upstanding housing generally designated 20, including a generally vertical rear wall 21,

.generally vertical side walls 22 and 23 extending forward from opposite sides of the rear wall, and a pair of partial, generally vertical front walls 24 and 25 respectively extending laterally inward from forward regions of the side walls 22 and 23 and terminating short of or spaced from each other.

An electric motor, or other suitable drive means 27 may be mounted in a lower region of the housing 20, as by a mounting block 28, see FIGURE 4. The motor 27 has its axis generally vertical, and carries a vertically upwardly extending drive shaft 29. The shaft 29 may be supported for axial rotation by a pair of vertically spaced, lower and upper pedestal journals 30 and 31 fixed to and extending generally horizontally forward from the rear housing wall 21. The pedestal journals 30 and 31 are each formed on its forward end with a vertically extending forwardly facing groove, as at 32 and 33, respectively. Thus, the grooves 32 and 33 are in vertical alignment with each other and face or open forwardly, radially of the axis of shaft 29. The grooves are best seen in FIGURE 8.

Keyed to the shaft 29, as by a key 34, see FIGURE 11, is a sleeve 35. The sleeve 35,as seen in FIGURE 4, is located between the journals 30 and 3l, and rotatable with the shaft 29. The sleeve 35 carries a grinding wheel 36 axially and circumferentially thereabout. That is, the sleeve 35 extends axially through and is fixed by any suitable means to the bearing wheel 36, extending vertically beyond opposite sides of the grinding wheel and mounts the latter for axial rotation about the axis of the shaft 29. The sleeve 35 is formed on its outer surface with a longtudinally extending, generally vertical groove 37, which rotates with the shaft 29 and faces generally radially outward from the axis thereof.

The grinding wheel 36 is carried generally horizontally, for rotation about the vertical axis of shaft 29, and as best seen in FIGURE 3, extends forwardly into the space between the front housing walls 24 and 25.

Fixed in the front wall 25, generally in the horizontal plane of the grinding wheel 36, is a mounting element generally designated 40. The mounting element 40 may include a generally horizontally extending forward por tion 41, from opposite ends of which extend rearward flanges 42 and 43 on opposite sides of the front wall 25. Fasteners 44 may extend through the flange 42 into the front wall 25 to secure the mounting element 40 in position relative to the front wall. The horizontal portion 41 of the mounting element may be formed with an internally threaded bore 45 having its laterally inner end opening toward the other front wall 24, and having its laterally outer end closed. The flange 43 may be recessed, as at 46 which recess may be generally of semicircular configuration and facing laterally outward away from the outer surface of side wall 23.

An elongate member 49 is disposed generally horizontally, extending laterally with respect to the housing 20, and is externally threaded for threaded reception in the bore 45 of member 40. As best seen in FIGURE 3, the elongate member 49 extends laterally inward through and beyond the open laterally inner end of the bore 45 into the space between the front walls 24 and 25. Extending from the other, laterally outer end of the elongate member 49 is a shank or stem 50 which passes slidably through the closed end of the bore 45 and outward through and beyond the recess 46. A manually actuable pointer or knob 51 is provided on the outwardly extending end of the stem 50, which knob is selectively adjustable circumferentially of the stem 50 by any suitable means, say the setscrew 52.

On the laterally inner end of the elongated member 49 is provided an enlargement or head 53, which is located in the space between the front walls 24 and 25, and carries on its side remote from the member 49 a rollable bearing element or ball 54. Thus, the elongate member 49 is, by its threaded engagement in the bore 45, axially shiftable upon rotation thereof manually effected by the knob 51, to move the bearing head 53 laterally more or less into the space between the front walls 24- and 25, for purposes appearing presently.

Mounted in the front housing wall 24, also extending laterally and generally in the horizontal plane of the grinding wheel 36, is a member generally designated 57, which includes a rearwardly extending securement flange 58 having fasteners 59 extending through the flange and into the wall 24 for securing the member 57 in position. The mounting member 57 is generally in horizontal alignment with the mounting member 49, as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, and includes a generally horizontal major portion 60 which is formed with a horizontal, laterally extending bore 61 opening laterally inward to the space between the walls 2-4 and 25, and having its laterally outer end closed.

Disposed slidably within the bore 61 of the mounting member 57 is an elongated piston member or plunger 62 having its laterally inner end extending through the open inner end of the bore. That is, the member 62 extends laterally, generally horizontally, in substantial endto-end alignment with the elongate threaded member 49. A coil spring 63 is located interiorly of the bore 61, in compression therein, having its opposite ends respectively engaging the closed laterally outer end of the bore and the adjacent end of the plunger member 62. A noncircular shank 64 extends rigidly from the plunger member 62 interiorly of the bore 61, in substantial axial alignment with the plunger, laterally outward slidably through the closed-end wall of the mounting-member portion 60. As seen in FIGURE 6, the shank 64 may be of generally square, rectangular, or other noncircular configuration, and extend conformably and slidably through and out of the mounting-member portion 60 to constrain the plunger member 62 to nonrotative, longitudinal sliding movement. A stop member or pin 65 may extend transversely through the shank 64 exteriorly of the mounting member 57 for abutting engagement with the latter to limit inward movement of the plunger 62. That is, the spring or resilient means 63 is under compression resiliently urging the plunger 62 laterally inward toward the elongate threaded member 49, while the stop member 65 limits lateral inward movement of the plunger.

On the laterally inner end of the plunger 62, adjacent to and facing toward the head 53 of the elongate member 49, is an enlarged bearing head 67, which may be of generally flat, rectangular configuration, as seen in FIGURE 5. The bearing head 67 is provided on one side, the side facing toward the bearing head 53, with a plurality of rollable bearing elements 68. The rollable bearing elements are preferably spherical for rolling movement in all directions, and three in number arranged in triangular configuration to define a flat plane.

Operation of the apparatus of the present invention is illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, wherein a skate blade is partially illustrated in position being sharpened, and designated 70. Thus, it will now be appreciated that the skate blade 70 is interposed between the bearing heads 53 and 67 with its side surfaces in bearing engagement with the spherical rollable elements 54 and 68, respectively. The resilient force of the spring 63 is transmitted through the head 67 to one side of the blade 70; and, as the bearing surfaces or points of the rollable elements 68 define a plane generally parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel 36, the axis of shaft 29, the blade is maintained in this plane by pressure of the head 67 holding the blade against the head 53. However, as the rollable elements 54 and 68 are spherical, the blade may be moved arcuately, as necessary to properly sharpen a blade of any contour.

It will now be appreciated that the laterally adjustable member 49, and laterally biased member 62, and their bearing heads 53 and 67, respectively, combine to define guide means for the blade 70 located adjacent to the periphery of the grinding wheel 36 and providing a bladereceiving guideway extending substantially parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel.

In order to assure that the guideway thus defined is disposed radially of the grinding wheel, the wheel and its sleeve 35 are rotated to align the sleeve groove 37 with the journal grooves 32 and 33, the condition shown in FIGURE 8. The aligned grooves 32, 37, and 33 thus all extend vertically and face forwardly. An aligning plate of generally U-shaped configuration, and of known thickness, as at 72 in FIGURE 9, is arranged with the distalend edges of its legs inserted in the aligned grooves 32, 37, and 33 on opposite sides of the grinding wheel 36, and thus extends vertically and forwardly in a plane normal to the direction of movement of the threaded member 49 and plunger member 62. The bight portion 73 of the plate 72 extends between the bearing heads 53 and 67, as in FIGURE 10. The threaded member 49 is then moved into engagement with the adjacent face of the plate 72, the condition of FIGURE 10, and the knob 51 is adjusted and set on the shank 50 so that the knob pointer indicates a thickness on the indicating dial 74, see FIG- URE 1, corresponding to the thickness of the plate 72. The dial 74 is calibrated so that the pointer of knob 51 indicates the proper location for the threaded member 49 and its head 53 so that skate blades of the indicated thicknesses will all be located in a plane radial to the axis of the grinding wheel 36. For a particular setting of the threaded member 49, a locknut 75 threadedly circumposed about the member 49 may be brought into firm bearing engagement with the laterally inner end of the mounting member 40 to positively secure the threaded member in position.

It will now be understood that the members 49 and 62 are mounted for movement along a line generally tangent to an arc struck about the axis of the wheel 36, and positionable along such line to accurately locate blades of different thicknesses radially of the grinding-wheel axis.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a skate-blade sharpening apparatus which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, maintenance, and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A skate-blade sharpener comprising a grinding wheel, means mounting said grinding wheel for axial rotation, a first guide member, means mounting said first guide member for adjustable fixed positioning along a line generally tangent to an arc struck about the axis of wheel rotation, a second guide member, mean mounting said second guide member for limited movement along a line toward and away from said first guide member, resilient means yieldably biasing said second guide member toward said first guide member, and facing hearing heads on adjacent regions of said first and second guide members for guiding engagement with a skate blade extending between said heads generally parallel to the wheel axis for movement therealong in contact with the periphery of said Wheel, one of said bearing heads including at least one rollable spherical bearing element on its facing side for rolling engagement with a skate blade, and the other of said bearing heads including at least three rollable spherical bearing elements on its facing side to define a locating plane for rolling engagement with a skate blade.

2. In a skate-blade sharpener having an axially rotatable grinding wheel, guide means adjacent to the periphery of said wheel and defining a blade-receiving guide- Way extending substantially parallel to the wheel axis, said guide means comprising a first member mounted for movement along a line generally tangent to an arc struck about the axis of said wheel and fixed positioning in any selected position of said movement, a second member mounted for limited free-sliding movement along said line toward and away from said first member, resilient means yieldably biasing said second member toward said first member, facing bearing heads on the adjacent regions of said first and second members for guiding engagement with a skate blade extending between said heads generally parallel to the axis of said wheel for movement therealong in contact with the periphery of said wheel, indicating means associated with said first member for indicating the proper adjustment thereof according to the thickness of blade to be sharpened, and a collar carried axially of said grinding wheel, said collar having a radially outwardly facing groove extending longitudinally of the grinding-wheel axis and of a selected width, whereby a plate of said width is insertable in said groove to extend radially of the grinding-wheel axis to enable proper calibration of said indicating means for skate blades of the same thickness as said plate.

3. In a skate-blade sharpener having an axially rotatable grinding wheel, guide means adjacent to the periphery of said wheel and defining a blade-receiving guideway extending substantially parallel to the wheel axis, said guide means comprising a first member mounted for movement along a line generally tangent to an arc struck about the axis of said wheel and fixed positioning in any selected position of said movement, a second member mounted for limited free-sliding movement along said line toward and away from said first member, resilient means yieldably biasing said second member toward said first member, and facing bearing heads on the adjacent regions of said first and second members for guiding engagement with a skate blade extending between said heads generally parallel to the axis of said Wheel for movement therealong in contact with the periphery of said wheel, the bearing head of said first member including at least one rolla'ble bearing element on its facing side, and the bearing head of said second member including at least three rollable bearing elements on its facing side arranged to define a plane normal to said tangent.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,181,923 Smolarek Dec. 5, 1939 2,294,715 Bruno Sept. 1, 1942 2,542,281 Lefteruk Feb. 2.0, 1951 2,563,018 Fello Aug. 7, 1951 

